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Marseille drop Valbuena hint

Marseille have opened the door for Arsenal to make a move for French midfielder Mathieu Valbuena.

By Patrick Haond

Last Updated: 17/08/11 10:31am

Valbuena: Has been attracting interest away from his homeland

Marseille sporting director Jose Anigo has opened the door for Arsenal to make a move for French midfielder Mathieu Valbuena.

The Gunners are light in midfield after the exit of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona, while Samir Nasri could yet leave the club.

Arsenal are actively seeking reinforcements and Valbuena is reportedly a target, and Anigo is unopposed to an offer from the Premier League giants.

"It's been six years since Mathieu Valbuena joined the club. If Arsenal wants to buy him, the discussions can be opened," he told French radio station RMC.

''When a player has spent five or six years at a club, out of respect for him, nothing is closed. We are very pleased with him, but if a big club is interested in Mathieu, people listen.''

Team-mates

Arsenal have also been linked with Valbuena's team-mate Andre Ayew but Anigo maintains that they will not be selling the 21-year-old playmaker.

"Andre Ayew is not for sale,'' Anigo insisted. ''There is certainly a clause [in his contract] but the clause has a time limit which has expired. If you want to buy, you pay a different price than that set at the start."

He added: "Andre Ayew has a long way to go for us."

Meanwhile, French sports paper L'Equipe suggest the Gunners are also keen on signing Marseille's Argentine midfielder Lucho Gonzalez on loan.

Anigo has dismissed the notion, though, and claims the 30-year-old, who has been heavily linked with Roma, will not leave the club this transfer window.

"The Lucho departure on loan is not even questionable," he said. "We don't want him to leave anymore.

"He is at his best and I think he will not leave. The transfer market will be terminated in a fortnight and I can't see how we could replace him."